Platonic reasoning process

Abstract

The distinguishing feature of the present invention is that it provides a means to answer a query about a database when the data in the database is not complete or is not considered to be trustworthy. The adverb Platonic is used to describe the reasoning process because of Plato's metaphorical description of how human beings perceive reality. The metaphor was one of a fire in a cave. Plato said that human beings cannot perceive objects in the real world in their exact form. If an object were in a cave, a fire in the cave would cast a shadow of that object on the wall. That shadow, however, would alter shape and the edges would appear to flicker. A person in that cave facing the wall would not be able to see the true form of the object, only the shadows. However, by looking at those shadows it would be possible to get a good approximation of the shape of the actual object. That is the intent of the present invention, to process the data as so as to obtain a good approximation of the object in the real world that the data represents.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A process for reasoning about the real world's representation as a database stored on a computer, comprising: 
 organizing computer representations of information together with the representation of the presumed relationships that exist among elements of said information;    applying and recording corresponding measures of completeness and correctness of said information; and    generating a new measure that provides a useful new description of said information that summarizes it concisely.